Pirates off the coast of Somalia have attacked two more vessels, the European Union's naval force stated Tuesday. While a Ukrainian cargo ship managed to escape, a Singaporean-operated chemical tanker with a crew of 28 North Koreans has been hijacked.

News of these latest attacks in the Somali basin comes a day after a Spanish judge indicted two suspected Somali pirates on counts of kidnapping and armed robbery.

Meanwhile, a Ukrainian cargo ship, the MV Lady Juliet, aided by the EU naval force (Navfor) detachment protecting the ship, successfully fought off pirates in the Gulf of Aden, adds the BBC. The pirates, who were armed with Kalashnikovs and rocket-propelled grenades, were deterred by return fire from the Navfor escort.